Low pressure container



H. A. SCHMITZ, JR

` LOW PRESSURE CONTAINER Aug'z, 1949.

Filed Jan. 29, 1945 2 Shets-Sheet E 1 Aug- 2, 1949- H. A. scHMlTzl, JR2,477,831

LOW PRESSURE CONTAINER Filed' Jan'. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5.

IN VEN TOR.

BY I

Patented Aug. 2, i949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,477,831 LowPRESSUREv ooN'rArNEn Henry A. Schmitz, Jr., Shorewood, Wis., assigner toA. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New YorkApplication January 29, 1945, Serial No. 575,165

(C1. ZZO--U 6 Claims. l

This invention relates to a low pressure container or tank and has beenapplied in the construction oi beer fermenters.

One object of the present invention is to provide a low pressurecontainer that is constructed in a manner to economize space and utilizethe maximum volumetric capacity of the building in which a group ofcontainers may be located.

Another object is to provide a supporting frame that will support apressure container of substantially rectangular section.

Another "object is to provide a container and supporting structure thatis readily insulated.

Another object is to provide a container that may be readily erected inthe field and which utilizes the metal most efficiently.

Another object is to provide a container of the class referred to thatis veasy to clean and which presents a neat appearance.

.In general the invention is directed to a container comprising a shellof substantially rectangular section having outwardly curved walls withlongitudinal corners supported by longitudinal structural members or thelike of substantial Width and which are welded to the corners. A seriesof columns disposed between the adjacent structural members and securedthereto prevent inward movement of the beams in service, and a. platebetween the head and shell at each end of the vessel to which the endsof the members are welded ties all the structural members of the tanktogether.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a low pressure container and supportingstructure;

Fig. 2 is an end View of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 andshowing a joint between an I-beam and two Wall members;

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken onA line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form ofconstruction:

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a corner weld and support for themodified form of container; and

Fig. 7 is a similar Section of a dilerent type of support for thecontainer.

The low pressure container comprises, in general, four separateoutwardly curved orarched Wall members l joined at their longitudinalmeeting edges by welds 2 to provide a generally long 2 horizontal shell-3 closed at opposite ends by dished end heads 4 and 5. A suitablelining 6 on the inside of wall members l and heads 4 and 5 preventsinjury to the metal of the container from corrosion by contained huid.

The outward curvature of each wall member I of shell 3 is preferablysufficient to provide each wall member as a separate segment or sectionof a generally large circle or cylinder. This curvature combined withthe supporting structure to be described herein provides a shell capableoi withstanding internal fluid pressure to the same amount as that of alarger cylindrical tank of the same wall thickness and curvature.

VThe wall members l are braced by I-beams 1, or the like, which extendon the outside of shell 3 substantially the length thereof at therespective joints 2 between the wall members. Welds 2, besides joiningWall members l together, also secure the inner end of the respectiveI-beam 1 to shell 3 of the vessel at each longitudinal joint areabetween the wall members. Each weld extends the length of the container.

The I-beams 'l are radially disposed along the longitudinal edges andhave a web of sufficient width to absorb the load tension in wallmembers i at the joint areas where the members intersect. The I-beamsserve to support the container under pressure in service and preventexcessive deiiection that would injure the metal of the container or thelining.

In order to counteract any tendency of I- beams 1 to lmove inwardlytoward the center of the tank under tensioning of Wall members I, aseries of pressure receiving columns 8 maintain the I-beams in spacedrelation and are joined thereto by welds 9. Each set of columns 8 ispreferably arranged in a plane tangential to the adjacent tank wall butout of Contact therewith to prevent any loss of heat through the columnsfrom contained fluid. The four sets of columns v8 constitute arectangular frame surrounding the container.

The heads il and 5 are dished to better enable them to withstandpressure in service and are assembled and joined to shell 3 bycircumferential butt welds il).

A flat iin-like plate Il encircles the container at each end and iswelded into the joint Il) between each head and shell `3.

Plate Il extends outwardly from the joint lli between the head and shella distance substantially the height of I-beams 'l and columns 8 and eachI-beam is Welded to the plate by welds l2 at its ends. Y

The respective plates Il at each end of the container act as stiieningmembers for the entire container since the plates join the heads, shelland I-beams together at the respective circumferential joints I betweenthe heads and shell. If desired fins I3 may be welded to the bottom ofthe tank and extend alongside the transverse columns 8 to reinforce thebottom.

The container may be nally completed by burying I-beams 1 and columns 8in suitable insulation, not shown, and then employing an outer covermaterial to coni-lne the insulation and beam structures. The spaceoccupied by the container is rectangular with a maximum volume oi fluidcontent, thereby providing for efcient grouping of like containers in abuilding.

In Fig. 5 the modified form of tank is shown` as having its side wallsconstructed as a development of a tear-drop shape to compensate for thestress in the lower portion of the wall resulting from the weight ofliquid in the tank. The curvature of the side wall is on a progressivelyshorter radius from the top to the bottom as shown. This form ofconstruction is designed for heavy liquids or mashes and provides asubstantially equal stress in the side walls at all points. Similarresults could be provided by the use of a tapered wall thickness withthe thicker portion at the bottom.

In the same manner, it may be desirable to construct the bottom ofthicker plate than the top or of a diierent curvature to compensate forthe weight of the mash. The maximum efficiency is obtained in astructure wherein the top is designed to withstand only the internal uidpressure while the sides and bottoms are designed to withstand suchpressure plus the weight of the liquid involved.

This modified construction is also suitable for open top tanks where nointernal pressure is applied and only the weight of the contained mashis considered.

In Figure 6 the container is supported at the longitudinal corners by anangle strip lll fillet welded at l5 to the wall members l of thecontainer. A plate i6 is welded to the center back side of strip I4 andextends radially outward to receive the columns 8. Fig. '7 shows asimilar construction except that the strip I4 is constructed of two flatstrips welded together at their meeting edges and joined to plate IB.

The containers may be erected in the field and it is possible wherecontainers are disposed side by side to employ a single set of verticalcolumns 8 to support the beams 'I of adjacent containers.

The inside corners between the plates or wall members l may be roundedto facilitate clean- 111g.

The invention provides a durable low pressure container that iinds readyemployment particularly where it is desirable to obtain maximumvolumetric capacity out of available space, as in brewery fermenters.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope ofthe accompanying claims. i

I claim:

1. A low pressure fluid container, comprising a shell of generallyrectangular cross section having ends closing the same and in which eachwall of the rectangle is curved outwardly as a segment of a generallycylindrical structure having a diameter substantially greater than themaximum cross-sectional dimension of the shell and the adjacent wallsare joined at their longitudinal meeting edges, a longitudinal beammember secured on the outside of the shell at each corner joint betweenthe walls, and column members circumferentially of the outside of theshell extending between adjacent beam members and rigidly securing thesame against radially inward movement to thereby maintain the walls ofthe container under tensionwhen subjected to internal fluid pressure.

2. A low pressure fluid container, comprising a shell composed ofseparate wall members extending longitudinally thereof and each curvedoutwardly as a segment of a generally cylindrical structure having adiameter substantially greater than the maximum cross-sectionaldimension of the shell and having a thickness and strength correspondingto that required in such larger structure to withstand the same internaluid pressure, welds joining the corresponding longitudinal meeting edgesof said wall members at corners of the shell, a head closing each end ofthe shell, and a frame encircling said container and securing the wallmembers under circumferential tension when loaded to prevent collapse ofsame.

3. A low pressure uid container, comprising a shell composed of separatewall members extending longitudinally thereof and each curved outwardlyas a segmentof a generally cylindrical structure having a diametersubstantially greater than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of theshell and having a thickness and strength corresponding to that requiredin such larger structure to withstand the same internal fluid pressure,welds joining the corresponding lo'ngitudinal meeting edges of said wallmembers at corners of the shell, a' head closing each end of the shell,a longitudinal beam secured to each longitudinal corner of the shell tostrengthen the same, and column-like members joining said beams andextending circumferentially of the shell on the outside thereof betweencorresponding beams to secure the latter rigidly in place and preventcollapse of the same inwardly when the container is subjected tointernal ind pressure.

4. A low pressure luid container, comprising a shell composed ofseparate wall members extending longitudinally thereof and each curvedoutwardly as a, segment of a generally cylindrical structure having adiameter substantially greater than the maximum cross-sectionaldimension of the shell and having a thickness and strength correspondingto that required in such larger structure to withstand the same internalfluid pressure, welds joining the corresponding longitudinal meetingedges of said wall members at corners of the shell, a head closing eachend of the shell, a longitudinal beam secured to each longitudinalcorner of the shell to strengthen the same, and column-like membersjoining said beams and extending circumferentially of the shell on'theoutside thereof between corresponding beams to secure the latterrigidlyin place and prevent collapse of the same inwardly when thecontainer is subjected to internal iluid pressure, and an end plate ateach end of the'container welded thereto at the joint'between -thecorresponding head and shell and welded to the ends of. said beams. I

5. A brewery fermenting tank or the like, adapted to be grouped withlike tanks in a building and shaped to provide volume capacity greaterthan would be possible withcylindrical tanks and to provide suitablelspace for insulation'- be` rectangular cross section comprising a shellof generally with heads closing its ends and composed of fourlongitudinally extending walls joined by welds at the respectivecorners, each longitudinal wall of the shell being curved outwardly as asegment of a cylinder having a diameter greater than the maximumcrosssectional dimension of the shell, and a rectangular frameworksurrounding and supporting said shell and including longitudinal beamswelded to the shell at each corner thereof, and a plurality ofcircumferentially extending column-like members spaced longitudinally ofthe beams and secured to corresponding beams at their ends to rigidlysecure the same against collapse, said column-like members being spacedfrom the walls of the shell and together with said beams defining arectangular shaped space surrounding said shell for receivinginsulation.

6. A low pressure iluid container of the class described made up ofseparate top, bottom and side wall members, each curved on asubstantially larger radius than the general radius of the container,end walls therefor, and means joining and rigidly holding the members attheir longitudinal meeting edges and securing said end walls thereto,the curvature of the top and bottween the tanks,

tom members having a single radius to constitute the same as cylindricalsegments, and the curvature of the side wall members being defvelopedwith a varying radii, greatest in the upper portion and smallest in thelower portion, to provide more equal stress in the wall resulting fromthe internal fluid pressure and the weight of the liquid contained inthe container.

HENRY A. SCHMITZ, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following referefnlces are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 730,344 Clayton, Sr June 9, 19031,467,610 Diggle Sept. 11, 1923 1,622,787 Horton Mar. 29, 1927 2,160,360Hassan May 30, 1939 2,273,601 Thomas Feb. 17, 1942 2,333,792 JacksonNov. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 307,174 Great BritainMar. 7, 1929

